Taking Sides PtIII WHJ Series
by tojo1973
Summary: Time for Nik and Emily to hear the truth.  Who's side are they on?


Silence filled the penthouse. Jason and Elizabeth had just finished explaining everything to Nikolas and Emily. They both knew it could go a number of different ways.

They had been to the Quartermaines the day before, and felt confident from that visit. Edward, they knew would always be Edward, as he already tried to groom Cameron by reading him the financial section of the paper, only disgusing his voice to make it sound like a children's book. Monica had held Jake and walked him over to Alan's picture, telling him stories about the boy's grandfather. It was actually a very nice day, and Jason had been glad they went. They both had hoped that their luck would continue, if only someone would say something.

Elizabeth, finally getting antsy, slid up and rested her elbows on her knees.

"Guys, I know that I have hurt you, and I'm sorry. I'm sorry I lied. I didn't know what to do-"

"Saying your sorry is going to make up for everything, then? Is that what you think, Elizabeth?"

Emily stood there by the chair Nikolas was sitting in, her arms crossed over her stomach, glaring at Elizabeth.

Elizabeth stood up, wringing her hands in front of her. She had a feeling Emily would have a hard time with this.

"Em, I was torn. I didn't know what to do. I had people on one side of me telling me that Jason would be better off if he wasn't the father, and I had people on the other side telling me I need to forgive Lucky and take him back. He was getting clean for the baby and the baby alone. I didn't know how to fix things. After a while, it just got harder and harder." Elizabeth was sobbing softly.

Jason got up and stood behind Elizabeth, sliding his hands up to her shoulders, squeezing reassuringly.

"Em, she was trying to do what was right for everyone."

"What was right was telling the truth, Jason. She kept you from your son!"

"No, she told me I was the father in the elevator after the hostage crisis. We both decided to let Lucky believe he was the father. I wanted Jake to be safe, and so did Elizabeth. We made that choice."

"To make my brother look like a fool."

Nikolas had taken that moment to finally voice his opinion, with a fair amount of disgust.

He stood up, looking at both Elizabeth and Jason with anger and venom in his eyes.

"How long, Elizabeth?"

She looked at him, her eyebrows creased.

"What are you talking about?"

He glared at Jason, then back at her.

"How long have you been sleeping with Jason? Was this whole thing just one big joke on my brother and my cousin? Just can't stay away from the town thug, now can you? You couldn't do it when we thought Lucky was dead. What, the fact that he was alive and actually married to you seem that much more exciting while you were screwing him?!"

"Nikolas!" Emily was shocked at the words coming out of Nikolas' mouth. She was angry that she didn't know about Jake, but was starting to understand the position both of them were in.

Jason moved around to shield Elizabeth, who was shocked at Nikolas' outburst. He glared coldly at the other man.

"That's enough. You have no clue what you are talking about."

Nikolas snorted bitterly and shook his head, his hands resting on his hips.

"I should have put two and two together when Sam came to me, crying that Elizabeth was pregnant. She knew. She KNEW it was yours, but Liz here decided to keep up the charade. Was it fun for you, Elizabeth? Watching my brother beg and plead with you to take him back, looking your nose down at him for his mistakes, when all the while keeping your indescretions under your hat? Did you get off on watching him squirm, Elizabeth? All the while, being a mob whore?!"

Jason quickly stepped right in Nikolas' face. His voice was cold and left no room for argument.

"You don't want to continue with this."

Nikolas laughed in Jason's face.

"What are you going to do, Jason? huh? Gonna make me 'disappear'? How did it feel, Jason? To know that you had my cousin under your thumb as well as Elizabeth on the side? Come on, you can tell me. Is that sweet, innocent thing just an act? She's a real spitfire under the sheets, right? She-"

He had no time to finish that sentence, as a fist collided with his mouth, sending him flying over the chair, his head hitting the leg of the desk.

Emily screamed and ran over to NIkolas, falling to her knees. She went to check his head, and he pulled away roughly.

"I'm fine! I'm fine." He glared up at Jason, both men's breathing labored from anger.

"Nikolas, stop. I know you're angry, but they didn't do this to hurt Lucky. They were trying to help-"

"Trying to help? By lying to him?! By having him raise, not one, but two of her bastards?!"

Emily stared at him as if he were a stranger. She stood up and backed away, unable to believe what had just come out of his mouth.

Jason moved to hit him again, but Elizabeth grabbed his arm.

"No! Jason stop." Her voice was calm as she moved in front of Nikolas, still sitting on the floor, holding his head.

"Nikolas Cassadine, you are a piece of work. I cannot believe I thought of you as a friend. I wasn't having an affair with Jason, it happened once, after we both found the people we were with with other people! You know that, yet you continually defend your brother. He is not innocent in all this either! I take full responsibility for my deception, but I will not have you or anyone else speak about our boys that way! They are not bastards! They are sweet, loving little boys who has never done anything to anyone and don't deserve to be punished for my mistakes. I'm sorry that people were hurt. I'm not sorry that Jason is Jake's father. I'm sorry that I went back to Lucky, when my heart was right here with Jason. If you can't forgive me, I understand. But you will never, ever speak about our boys that way again!"

Nikolas got up slowly, wincing at the pain in the back of his head.

"Don't worry, Liz. We won't be having anything more to do with any of you. Have fun dodging bullets. Let's go, Em."

Emily stood there, watching Nikolas, and shook her head.

"No."

Nikolas looked back at her, as if he wasn't sure he heard her right.

"What?"

Emily took in a deep breath.

"I love you, Nikolas, but what you said was out of line. Yes, mistakes were made, but that doesn't mean we have to punish those two boys. They are my nephews, Nikolas. I can't turn my back on them, or my brother and Elizabeth. Lucky didn't deserve to be lied to, but he wasn't innocent in all this either."

Nikolas' eyes grew large.

"You are siding with them? Against me?"

Emily shook her head.

"No, I'm just saying that there's more to this than just their side and Lucky's side and Sam's side."

"If you don't come with me now, Emily and never associate with them again, we are over."

Emily stepped back as though she had been slapped. She swallowed roughly and looked back at Nikolas.

"Then this is goodbye."

Nikolas looked incredulously at her, then over at Elizabeth and Jason.

"Good riddence to all of you." He strode out the door, slamming it, making the room shake.

Emily flinched at the sound, her eyes spilling tears.

Elizabeth walked over to her and enveloped her in a hug, which Emily returned.

"I'm so sorry, Em. I didn't mean for this to happen."

"I understand Elizabeth. You were in a tough position. I don't like that you lied, you could've confided in me, but I do understand. Nikolas will come around, and if he doesn't, he wasn't the person I thought he was."

Jason walked up to both women and hugged them. The past few minutes had been emotionally draining.

Emily pulled back slightly from their hug, her face wet with tears.

"How about we go get the boys, and get some ice cream. I'd like to spend some time with my nephews."

Elizabeth smiled at her best friend. She had been scared that she would lose her. She turned and looked at Jason, who was holding on to both women tightly, kissing him on the cheek.

They both knew they would be losing people along the way. Sides would be taken, and it wouldn't always be theirs. They just knew that as long as they stuck together, they could make it. 


End file.
